"Every scripture is God's breath…" (2 Tim 3:16–17).

Why Do Churches of Christ Not Use Musical Instruments?

The simple answer for “Why do churches of Christ not use musical instruments in worship?” is that the Bible instructs churches to sing to praise God and edify one another (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16). The instrument cannot speak, teach, and thank God and so praise God in meaningful words. The churches in the New Testament never used musical instruments when they worshiped in song for good reason. Christ, His apostles, and His prophets only commanded singing for worship in the New Testament.[1] As New Testament Christians, the churches of Christ see the blessings of praising God only by their lips, and they plead with all who rely on Christ’s words to consider true worship in speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Here are 4 reasons why churches do not use musical instruments:

1. The NT (New Testament) commands singing for making melody and does not mention the playing of instruments for spiritual teaching, praise, and thanksgiving (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16).2. The Bible forbids anyone adding or annulling God’s commands (1 Cor 11:2; Gal 3:15; Rev 22:18–19). Furthermore, Jesus is sinless and His words are without error, so no one should change His words (John 6:63; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22).3. The NT teaches that words are essential to worshiping in song and that unknown languages and nonverbal sounds are excluded (1 Cor 14:9–19).4. Jesus established worship in spirit and truth changing the OT physical worship including musical instruments to NT spiritual worship with singing meaningful words for teaching, praise, and thanksgiving (John 4:21–24; Heb 13:15–16; 1 Pet 2:9).

Worship with Words

The Bible contains commands from God for the order of the assembly in 1 Corinthians 14 (cf. 11:17–34). In the Bible, words are essential to worshipping God with music. In 1 Corinthians 14, the apostle Paul emphasized understandable words as he explained that words build up worshipers gathered in the assembly. Because words are essential to edification and the assembly of Christians, the New Testament Scriptures describe musical instruments as “lifeless” — “without soul” (1 Cor 14:7). Paul gave this description of lifeless instruments as greater than speaking in unknown languages.

In 1 Corinthians 14:15, the apostle Paul used the Greek word psallo meaning “to make melody” to describe how words are essential to singing and praying to God with the spirit and mind. These scriptures explain that meaningful music in worship consists of understandable words (1 Cor 14:7–19). Furthermore, Paul also instructed Christians to complete the act of psallo by making melody in the heart (Eph 5:18–19). Musical instruments are an unnecessary addition to the purpose and heart of singing praises to God. Instruments cannot produce words for meaningful worship and making melody in the heart.

No Changing Jesus’s Words

Believers find that Christ is perfect and complete, and so are His words (John 6:63; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22). The Bible reveals that adding to the words of Christ and His Spirit is wrong (1 Cor 4:6; Gal 1:6–9; 3:15; 2 John 9; Rev 22:18–19). Do Christians have liberty to express worship in any way other than true worship in the New Testament? Christians can neither change Christ nor alter the gospel. Christ is infallible and so are His words (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:14–15; 1 John 3:5; 1 Pet 2:22). Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). Therefore, Jesus’s words are constant and unchanging.

When believers consider the complete perfection of Christ’s words, then Christ’s institutions of the Lord’s Supper, baptism, prayer, music, and the like are complete in presenting His ideals. Few people would consider adding lamb’s meat to the Lord’s Supper even for the purpose of presenting Jesus as the Passover Lamb. Some may consider adding incense to prayers and ashes to the waters of baptism because of passages in the Old Testament. However, such additions are contrary to Jesus’s infallibility. A true worshiper will not add to true worship.

Churches can no more change the fruit of the vine in the Lord’s Supper than change the fruit of the lips in praise to God (Heb 13:15; cf. Matt 26:29; Mark 14:25). The Letter to the Hebrews declares, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb 13:15). God specified the true worship that is best for believers. Christians can no more change the music that Christ commanded than change the elements of the Lord’s Supper (Matt 26:26–29; 1 Cor 11:17–34). God created humanity with the ability to use their voices to sing praises to Him. Singing in worship is the most beautiful, pure, and sublime form of music.

Jesus Established True Worship

As most Christians realize, worship has changed from physical to spiritual. Jesus revealed that worship is now in spirit and truth, and no longer “in Jerusalem will you worship the Father” (John 4:21–24). David brought the temple worship to Jerusalem and enhanced this worship with musical instruments. Jesus professed, “believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. […] But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (John 4:21–24). The churches of Christ see that Jesus set true worship apart from the worship that David established in Jerusalem.[2] True worship is with the right spirit and by the truth of God’s Word (cf. John 1:17; 17:17).

Jesus taught that God seeks true worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24). For that reason, Jesus distinguished true worship apart from temple worship in Jerusalem (John 4:21–24). The temple of God changed from that physical building to the spiritual church (1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:21), and worship also changed from the physical symbolism of the Old Testament to the spiritual reality of the New Testament (1 Pet 2:5). According to Scripture, Christ became the atoning sacrifice for sin (Heb 9:22–26). All Christians are now the priests of God’s spiritual temple, the church. Christians are the ones for whom God blessed to make melody in the heart and upon the lips. Thereby, true worshipers offer spiritual offerings of praise unto God (Heb 13:15; 1 Pet 2:5). The Scriptures reveal that the priesthood of Levites and their physical worship with David’s instruments have ceased (Heb 7:12).

No More Shadows of Worship

Old Testament worship foreshadowed and symbolized true worship, but the substance has always been Christ (Col 2:16–17; Heb 8:5; 10:1). Christ fulfilled the Law, so that Christ has led believers to true worship (Heb 9:9–10; 1 Pet 2:5). Revelation’s symbolic references to worship on an altar with sacrifices, use of incense, and the holding of harps are all Old Testament symbols. These physical symbols foreshadowed true worship in the New Testament. Scripture says that incense symbolizes prayers and the harps symbolize praise (Rev 5:8–14). John described the praises of the faithful sounding like thunders, many waters, and harps (Rev 14:1–3; 15:1–3). While holding harps, no one played these harps in Revelation, but they did praise God with singing.

The New Testament describes the ordinances of Old Testament worship as obsolete, carnal, and fleshly (Rom 7:1–7; Gal 3–5; 2 Cor 3:7–18; Eph 2:14–22; Heb 8:13). This is why the churches of Christ believe in observing all of Christ’s commands — unaltered, because Christ’s words are perfect and greater than the Law of Moses. The churches of Christ refrain from musical instruments in worship because these are contrary to the Spirit of the New Covenant (cf. 2 Cor 3:1–6). If God wanted Christians to worship with instruments as the music of the church, God would have commanded instruments for Christians to worship God. However, the New Testament specifies that Christians praise God in song with their hearts and lips (Eph 5:19; Heb 13:15).

Worship throughout History

The word acapella refers to non-instrumental singing and means “of the chapel” in Latin. The word comes from the ancient form of Christian praise when early churches worshiped by singing without instrumental music. For fourteen centuries following Christ, almost all churches sang and opposed the use of musical instruments in worship and assembly. During the Reformation, the reformers led believers in France and England to remove the recent additions of musical instruments that the Roman church added in the fourteenth century.[3] This effort to reform Christian worship according to “the regulative principle” continued among many churches through the nineteenth century. Through the Reformation until today, “nonconformist” churches find that true worship is free of innovations and amusements. In the Restoration Movement, the restorers made the same stand for true worship and still do among churches of Christ.

God Judges Hearts

True worshipers will not add or annul from true worship. As far as true worship being a matter of salvation, God judges the hearts of those who worship for whether they love God and keep His commands (John 14:21–24). Some Christians in ancient Corinth received condemnation for not discerning the Lord’s Supper. Some also misused the gifts of languages in the assembly (1 Cor 11:17–34; 14). Christians must defer for God to judge the immature and ignorant on these matters, yet the faithful urge that all follow Christ to worship as God has revealed in the Scriptures.

Conclusion

The churches of Christ do not use musical instruments to worship God, because Christ commanded singing for worship in the New Testament. Churches in the New Testament sang congregationally and never used instruments. The New Testament writers affirm that singing is the most edifying, meaningful, and spiritual form of music. Because the New Testament Scriptures command music consisting of words for praise and spiritual teaching, the church of Christ will not add musical instruments to singing in worship of God (1 Cor 14:9–19).

The words of Jesus compel churches of Christ to maintain the purity of true worship. Neither Christ, his apostles, nor his prophets used or commanded musical instruments for worshiping God. Therefore, many Christians conclude that no one can add to Christ’s words or change true worship as Jesus established. Because God specified only singing in the New Testament Scriptures, alterations are contrary to the heart of meaningful worship. For Christ’s Spirit teaches that every Scripture is God’s breath to make the person of God complete and fully equipped unto every good work (2 Tim 3:16–17). Christians are not lacking any teaching or any good work in the Scriptures. The faithful listen to Christ’s Spirit and His words in the Scriptures, and by loving Christ, they see the complete purity of singing over all other musical forms. This is why the churches of Christ do not use musical instruments.

Encouragement

May God bless all to consider sincerely the music that God desires for believers to worship in spirit and truth. To understand true worship, a believer must think spiritually (1 Cor 2:14). A person must also have an honest and good heart who does not dismiss Christ’s teachings (Luke 8:15). Furthermore, churches of Christ urge repentant believers to receive salvation by the gospel — the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15:1–5). Jesus rose bodily from the dead so that His followers will rise bodily from the dead on the last day (Rom 6:5; 8:11; 1 Cor 6:14). God saves believers by raising them from burial with Christ in baptism (Rom 6:4; Col 2:12–13). The believer must die with Christ to one’s sins to rise with Christ from baptism (Rom 6:1–7; Col 2:12–13). In this way, the Scriptures teach that God saves believers by grace raising them to new life in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:4–7).

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Published by Scott J Shifferd

Scott J Shifferd believes in sharing the gospel of Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection so that the faithful will bodily resurrect to eternal life like Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15). Scott is an evangelist at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL. He has a BA and MA in Biblical Studies. He is a husband and a father of four children. Anyone can contact Scott at ScottJon82[at]yahoo.com.
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86 thoughts on “Why Do Churches of Christ Not Use Musical Instruments?”

The NT (New Testament) commands singing for making melody and does not mention the playing of instruments for spiritual teaching, praise, and thanksgiving (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16).

The Bible forbids anyone altering of traditions from God by adding or annulling God’s commands (1 Cor 11:2; Gal 3:15; Rev 22:18–19). Furthermore, Jesus is sinless and His words are without error, so no one should change His words (John 6:63; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22).

The NT teaches that words are essential to worshiping in song and that unknown languages and nonverbal sounds are excluded (1 Cor 14:9–19).

It is a pleasure to read your concerns on this subject. Thank you for your interest in Scripture and for your opinions.

This reply reviews: 1. What Scripture specifically STATES. 2. How does language USAGE, Koine Greek, the language of the NT, tell God’s view regarding this subject? Respectfully, neither goal is difficult to discover from pages of Scripture. And, please recall, in Paul’s letter to Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work,” 2 Tim 3:16. At the time of Paul’s Letter, only OT Scripture is available for Timothy to read. Therefore, in this verse, ALL SCRIPTURE refers to OT Scripture, ONLY.

Who first orders instruments that intone various pitches in holy ceremonies?
GOD. When the Tabernacle is completed, God orders two SILVER TRUMPETS to be created, and HOW to construct each. Typically, trumpets call Israelites to assembly, Numbers 10:1-9, “Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and … to assemble before you….
But, NO: God also orders the trumpets be played OVER OFFERINGS, … you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God! Nu. 10:10.
Therefore, God is first to order instruments to be played in sacred ceremony.
Who orders instrumental praise in Temple?
GOD. If King David declares this or that regarding Temple praise, never mind, because King David is dead for many years when Scripture states that God orders musical instruments in Temple worship, 2 Chron. 29:25. In this verse, Nathan, the Prophet, orders musical instruments into the Temple, and, as Scripture states: Prophets speak for God. God orders instruments into Temple.
What are musical instruments called in Scripture? “…musical instruments of God…” I Chron. 16:42 (KJV)
Does God DESIRE musical instruments in OT? The LORD said to Moses, Say to the Israelites: On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of Sabbath rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present a food offering to the LORD, Leviticus 23:23-25.

1 Chronicles 13:8, David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.

1 Chronicles 16:42, Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song.

1 Samuel 10:5, … you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, timbrels, pipes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.

Does God DESIRE musical instruments in Heaven?
Rev. 14:2-5, A God-chosen choir sings a new song; Harps accompany them.
Rev. 15:2-3, (The Over-comers) …held harps given to them by God and sang the song of Moses…and the song of the Lamb.
Conclusion: God desires musical instruments in OT praise to Him. God desires musical instruments in Heavenly praise to Him. But does God NOT want instrumental praise to Him in NT church Assembly, but He doesn’t tell anyone?
A Messianic Psalm states, “Stringed instruments make you (Jesus) GLAD.” Ps. 45:9, (NIV). Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, Heb. 13:8. (Does Scripture ever STATE that musical instruments make Jesus SAD?)
Jesus prays that ALL things on earth be done as they are in heaven, Mt. 6:10. In heavenly Assembly, harpers are harping and harps are given to Elders by God, Rev. 5:8, 14:2, 15:2-3. Is Jesus praying for instrumental praise in Assembly on earth?
If these verses describe His Father’s House as the church, then Jesus approves of an orchestra in His Father’s House (the church.) Lk. l5:l l-32.
At the beginning of the church, early Christians meet in Temple as the orchestra plays. Instrumental praise is not a problem for them, Acts 2:46,
At the hour of prayer, Apostles go to Temple. Instrumental praise is not a problem for Apostles, Acts 3:l.
An angel frees Apostles from jail and tells them to go to Temple. Instrumental praise is not a problem for an angel or for Apostles, Acts 5: 17-20.
Apostle Paul participates in ceremonial worship for seven days with full orchestra, Acts 20:6. (ref. II Chron. 30:2l)
Paul gives Instructions for Assembly Worship, to the Corinthian church, I Cor. 14:6-9. In Chapter 14, Paul’s theme is: make Assembly UNDERS-TANDABLE. Paul uses musical instruments to illustrate what is understandable in Assembly. Paul writes that a flute communicates when it is properly intoned: and THIS is Instruction for Assembly! Does Paul mean that if a flute properly intones, ON A HILL FAR AWAY, and if the assembly knows this song, then the assembly understands and worships as a flute plays?
Again: Instructions for Assembly, I Cor. l4:26, Paul writes: WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER each of you has a psalm…” (The words in English, COME TOGETHER, are the Greek word, ASSEMBLE.) Paul does not object to cultural ways of HAVING Psalms. How are psalms HAD as Paul writes this Letter? Psalms are clapped, shouted, sung, played on instruments, and danced. And Paul does NOT disapprove ANY of these ways of HAVING Psalms in Assembly. Paul does NOT edit out any of the ways psalms are HAD in this culture.
If Paul means each of you SINGS a Psalm, then why does Paul write: each of you HAS as Psalm? If Paul means: Sing a’ cappella ONLY in Assembly FOREVER, Paul misses his chance to command what he means. The word HAS is INCLUSIVE, and, therefore, includes contemporary musical styles of the day. Conversely, the word, SING, is EXCLUSIVE. Sing means SING!
Nevertheless, Paul DOES edit out when Paul INTENDS to edit out, that is, when it is God’s will to do so. In Eph. 5:19, Paul writes, Psalms, Hymns, and SPIRITUAL songs… Paul edits out SECULAR songs. When Scripture intends to edit out, Scripture does so.
Again: Instructions for Assembly, I Cor. 14:26. Paul tells HOW the Corinthian church worships, When you Assemble, each of you has a psalm… In Greek, YOU is singular; HAS is singular; and PSALM is singular. This sentence is grammatically correct for solo presentation of a psalm. Be careful NOT to make rules where God has made none. Paul writes to Roman believers, Where there is no law, there is no transgression, Ro. 4:15.
James orders: sing psalms Ja. 5:13, but, again, Psalms that order instrumental praise in the Sanctuary are not edited out of his orders: Ps. 150, for example. (Does James mean: SING Psalms, but don’t DO what Psalms order?
There are three Greek words that are translated in English, SING (or a cognate of SING). The three Greek words are: ADO, PSALLO, and, HUMNEO. Each of these Greek words is instrument-inclusive.
ADO, a noun, in Greek, means ODE/SONG in English. SONG does NOT mean singing a’ cappella ONLY. When Greek writers of NT, such as Paul, want to use the word ODE as a verbal, spelling of ado becomes adontes: in Greek, odeing.
PSALLO, a noun in Greek means psalm in English. PSALM does NOT mean vocal singing ONLY. In Greek, psalontes means psalming. Psalming in Greek and in English does NOT mean singing a’ cappella ONLY.
HUMNEO, in English means hymn. HYMN does NOT mean vocal singing ONLY. Hymning does NOT mean a’ cappella ONLY in Greek or in English.
Each of these Greek words appears in both OT and in NT. But, PLAY (as in play a musical instrument) is missing in both OT and in NT usage of the three Greek words. The reason is because the word PLAY is included in usage of each of the Greek words. (The OT was translated into Greek about 200 years BC, and is called, Septuagint.) Since English does not use the word, song-ing (adontes) translators substitute the English word: singing. Nevertheless, the Greek word ado, is instrument-inclusive even if the word is translated in English, SING.
Ado is the verb choice by the Holy Spirit in Revelation 15:2-3, “…those … held harps given to them by God and SANG (ado) the song of Moses … AND the song of the Lamb. (A reader might think that, in this verse, harps are “props” and not played because play is not in this sentence.)
Exodus 15:20-21, “And Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, Sing (ado) ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously …. In the Septuagint, the word play is not written because ado (in English, ODE/SONG) is instrument-inclusive.
Ps. 144:9, I will sing (ado) a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery will I sing (psallo) praises unto thee. (A psaltery is a ten-string musical instrument.)
Ps. 150, the Hebrew verb, halal, is the command verb of this psalm. Halal includes musical instruments galore. In the Septuagint, the Greek word psallo translates the Hebrew word, halal. Greek translators choose psallo, as equivalent to halal. Psalontes, (psalming), translates the English words, making music in your heart, of Eph. 5:19.
In Scripture, there are many examples of usage of the three Greek words that are translated sing/singing. These few samples are included here to show usage of these words as they are STATED in Scripture.
In the entire church age, Acts to Jude, there is not one command verb that orders/commands sing in Assembly. But if an English version writes Sing and make music in your heart, in Eph:5:18-19, this is not what the Greek states. The KJV translates the correct Greek syntax: Do not be drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…. There are two commands: (1) Do not be drunk and (2) Be filled with the Spirit. Singing and speaking are what happens when a person is filled with the Spirit. Singing and speaking are not command verbs. In fact, grammatically, neither is verbal. Both words are ing NOUNS. These two words NAME what a person does when moved by the Holy Spirit. Grammatically, they are called, gerunds. Here is comparison between Gerund and Verbal: See the girl swinging. Swinging is gerund, a noun. This ing word NAMES the action in the sentence. See, the girl is swinging. IS SWINGING is verbal, present participle. The helper verb IS shows that swinging is action, and therefore, verbal and not gerund. Neither singing nor speaking in Eph. 5:18-19 is an order from God.
In Col. 3:16, the command is: Let the word of Christ DWELL in you richly…. But, Teaching and admonishing are not command verbs. Teaching and admonishing name action. They do not order anyone to do this action in Assembly. Singing and admonishing in Assembly are not orders from God. Rather, Paul describes how to live daily in Christ. For example: as a group of ladies walk to a nearby creek to do laundry, they sing a psalm to each other. Some psalms ask questions and give answers not unlike the modern song: What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus, etc. It can be sung in antiphonal singing style much like psalms were sung in First Century.
Neither Eph. 5: 18-19, nor Col. 3:16 order/command to sing a’ capella ONLY in Assembly worship. Paul is closing his Letters as usual with orders/suggestions on how to live. Read what precedes each of these verses and what follows each of these two verses: read these two verses in CONTEXT. For example: Eph. 5:21, Wives, submit yourselves unto you own husbands… only in ASSEMBLY?
In Chapter 14 of Paul’s Letter to Roman Christians he states his personal hermeneutic in solving differences among believers. Paul states that if a person believes that he/she is guided by God to be a vegetarian, he/she does not sin. If another person believes that eating meat (even if the meat has been previously offered to an idol, but is now being sold in a market), eating this meat is NOT a sin. Each of these factions believes that ONLY IT has God’s approval. But Paul states that neither faction is disobedient to God. However, Paul adds: DON’T FUSS ABOUT IT! Probably Paul would dismiss this issue of Assembly praise in the same way: both factions honor God in what they do.
Respectfully, Elton

Excellent article. I think the most important verse concerning this topic is in Ephesians. Since my knowledge on the subject is limited to what others have studied, I’ll simply share a quotation from their work.

Psallo is also used in 1 Cor 14:15 where making melody must only consist of intelligible words. We cannot preach, pray, or praise with an instrument but only with words. This is the Christian psallo. Psallo once meant to twang an psalter for the Greeks but now means “make melody” and intelligible meaningful worship in words for Christians. See: https://Godsbreath.net/2011/12/12/psallo-church-music/

If we say that instruments is not part of worship because Jesus and Paul said that we should worship with our heart and spirit, we would be affirming that David did not worship God appropriately. However, God never judged David because of his worship. Jesus did not come to change the way of worship. :) In my opinion, it depends on each one of us, how much we love God, as the king David, both his heart and spirit motivated him to worship God in a creative way. Blessings.

I appreciate your response. Your perspective is very common, but I have thought about it. However, there is too much to demonstrate that Jesus did bring in true worship apart from the carnal OT worship. I find that we missing out on what God gave us when we prefer OT worship over NT worship.

I have recently taken the scriptures from this article and formed a list for the purpose of seeing that I could see another way of inclusion. I hope you will consider the scriptures and do the same if only for the sake of studying God’s Word.

Making the blanket statement that silence does not exclude would make a lot of things not specifically mentioned in the Scriptures acceptable unto God. Compare Acts 15:24 as an example. Peter said “no commandment” was given (silence) concerning the binding of physical circumcision under the law of Christ for spiritual purposes. Was Peter in error for teaching this truth, or was he reinforcing teaching in the Bible that was positively taught elsewhere?

Perhaps the area on the east coast where Cyndi now lives has a problem with instrumental music, so the church puts more emphasis on that topic. I suggest studying what the Scriptures do teach regarding any particular topic, rather that what’s allegedly not there. What the scriptures do say will give the reader positive instruction on what is not specifically mentioned, or “silent” about (necessary inference). Regarding music, God taught that singing is acceptable form of praise unto Him, so to add what He said about it is sinful unless authority can be found elsewhere (2 John 9-11).